Jammu Kashmir, as per official records, reported as many as 278 cases of sexual abuse against children in the year 2022, 168 of them were reported from Jammu district alone, Daily Excelsior reported.
Data suggests, there were 859 cases of POSCO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) pending before the designated courts of the erstwhile state of Jammu Kashmir, as on December 31, 2022.
Only 72 of the 278 new POCSO cases that entered the court system in 2022 were successfully resolved. This suggests that, despite an increase in sexual crimes against children, justice is not being served to the victims quickly enough.
According to the district breakdown, 77 cases were still pending as of December 31, 2022, in the Srinagar district, 34 in Ganderbal, 87 in Anantnag, 37 in Kulgam, 21 in Shopian, 32 in Pulwama, 47 in Baramulla, 17 in Bandipora, 53 in Budgam, 6 in Kupwara, 168 in Jammu, 30 in Samba, 38 in Kathua, 20 in Poonch, 17 in Rajouri, 26 in Bhaderwah, 20 in Ramban, 14 in Kishtwar, 69 in Udhampur, 41 in Reasi, 4 in Leh and one in Kargil.
During the year 2022, compensation as per Rule 9 was provided only in respect of 33 cases while no victim compensation was awarded in 177 cases. During the meeting, Member Secretary Legal Services Authority Amit Kumar Gupta informed the Acting Chief Justice that an amount to the tune of Rs 1.33 crore was disbursed to the child victims during the year 2022.
Justice Rabstan expressed concern over pendency, delay in disposal of cases and non-awarding of compensation to the victims and urged all the judges dealing POCSO cases to decide the pending cases in a time bound manner. He emphasized the need of awarding compensation to the victims strictly as per Rule 9 of the POCSO Rules, 2020 to provide relief and rehabilitation to the child victims.